Helping beginning and experienced therapists cope with the myriad challenges of working in agencies, clinics, hospitals, and private practice, this book distills the leading theories and best practices in the field. The authors provide a clear approach to engaging diverse clients and building rapport; interweaving evidence-based techniques to meet therapeutic goals; and intervening effectively with individuals, families, groups, and larger systems. Practitioners will find tools for addressing the needs of their clients while caring for themselves and avoiding burnout; students will find a clear-headed framework for making use of the variety of approaches available in mental health practice.

Critical praise for Therapy in the Real World:

“You have to be robust to work well in front-line mental health services. This book is a companion, and a very valuable one. It builds bridges, clarifies commonalities across treatments, and helps you to approach complex scenarios with awareness of what might make a difference to the lives of people from diverse backgrounds. The authors are champions of compassionate and competent practice. This book is a considerable achievement.”–Stephen Rollnick, PhD, Institute of Primary Care and Public Health, Cardiff University, Wales, UK

“This extremely helpful book offers practitioners a readable and comprehensive primer for current, culturally sensitive clinical practice. It incorporates a strong focus on dealing with the diversity of the cases that present for mental health services. And it makes accessible for marginalized populations the latest modalities: cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, mindfulness- and acceptance-based approaches, motivational interviewing, recovery approaches, and others. Outstanding case examples illustrate ways to effectively counter societal discontinuities and fragmented services for multi-needs clients. The guidelines for supervision and therapist self-care are clear and useful. This is a book that all those entering the profession will want to have as a guide.”–Monica McGoldrick, MSW, PhD (h.c.), The Multicultural Family Institute, Highland Park, New Jersey

“This groundbreaking book is a powerful and extremely relevant discussion of the real world of clinical practice today. It is a necessary addition to the library of every experienced and early career therapist and mental health practitioner. The book is also an excellent text for graduate-level courses seeking to provide students with a thorough overview of the mental health field.”–Joseph L. White, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Psychiatry, University of California, Irvine

“Eminently accessible, this volume distills the research and information needed to provide the highest quality clinical services. The book will improve your work with clients, whether you are navigating the complexities of public care or maintaining a private practice. It includes essential guidance for addressing crises and trauma and understanding clients from diverse backgrounds. A ‘must read’ for mental health clinicians, supervisors, and trainees.”–Ronald F. Levant, EdD, ABPP, Department of Psychology, University of Akron; past president, American Psychological Association

“It is a highly applied book, containing a significant number of real-life case examples, making it a very useful guide for students as well as beginning and more seasoned clinicians. The book is very accessible and comfortably combines theory and practice….Abundantly and masterfully illustrated with vignettes that help ground theoretical approaches in the real world of clinical practice. Special attention is given to multicultural aspects and to work with marginalized populations, a very important aspect of working in the real world….I appreciate the pragmatisms of this work, the structure around clinical processes, and the emphasis on diversity issues as well as work with disadvantaged populations. Also, the discussion of self-care of therapists and supervision is a welcome one. These aspects are very important in clinical practice, but are not necessarily addressed in textbooks. The authors’ clinical expertise is apparent from the depth and breadth of the practical vignettes they present.”–Doody’s Review Service

“A thoughtful volume that integrates a great deal of useful information…. It is an easy read, with something for mental health practitioners across varied disciplines. I recommend it as a solid addition to a reference library. This is a good introductory text for classes designed to provide a broad overview of clinical practice. Clinical supervisors will want to share the chapters on risk assessment and suicide prevention, crisis intervention, and clinician self-care with their supervisees.”–PsycCRITIQUES

“A well-written text designed to assist therapists working in a diversity of settings with clients from diverse backgrounds and having concerns ranging from mental illness, substance abuse, family issues, interventions in schools, to well-being. The book covers the leading therapies, guiding principles, and best practices in the field today. Therapy in the Real World is a thoughtful volume that integrates a great deal of useful information that the average clinician will have some occasion to access. It is an easy read, with something for mental health practitioners across varied disciplines. I recommend it as a solid addition to a reference library. This is a good introductory text for classes designed to provide a broad overview of clinical practice. Clinical supervisors will want to share the chapters on risk assessment and suicide prevention, crisis intervention, and clinician self-care with their supervisees.”–PsycCRITIQUES